While the spring session hasn’t technically concluded, nearly 500 bills were approved by the General Assembly before the scheduled session deadline of May 31.
One of the last measures to receive approval was Senate Bill 1129, which would give law enforcement a new tool in combating the sale, distribution and possession of synthetic drugs by banning their underlying chemical structure.
Synthetics mimic marijuana, cocaine and meth but with significantly higher potency and are significantly more dangerous to the user. In the past, efforts to outlaw the drugs failed because only specific synthetic drug formulas were made illegal.
Subsequently, the creators of the drugs altered the formula to skirt the law. Known side effects of the drugs include suicidal thoughts, confusion, violent behavior, hallucinations and chest pains.
Senate Bill 1129 received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate and the House, but to date, it has not been sent to the Governor’s office for consideration.